Ball catching apparatus

ABSTRACT

A ball catching apparatus comprises a main body in which a back-of-hand-side inner skin and a palm-side inner skin are respectively secured to a back-of-hand-side outer skin and a palm-side outer skin, and a thumb hook provided at a base-end portion of a thumb pocket part of the main body and allowing a position of a thumb to be secured and released, wherein the thumb hook comprises a first belt and a second belt respectively secured to the palm-side inner skin, the first belt allows the thumb to be pressed from a forefinger side, the second belt is provided along an outer peripheral side of the first belt and in such a manner as overlapping with the first belt, and a state where the thumb is pressed by the first belt is maintained in such a manner that the second belt is stretched, so that the position of the thumb is determined while the thumb is being comfortably fitted by the first and second belts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a ball catching apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the case of a ball catching apparatus such as a glove for baseball, it is necessary for the glove itself to perfectly fit a user's hand because an agile ball-catching operation is demanded. A part of the glove into which a thumb is inserted, in particular, should necessarily have a size corresponding to a size of the user's thumb to thereby fit the thumb because the one finger has to reliably take charge of the ball-catching operation as well the other four.

For example, No. 2003-126324 of the Publication of the Unexamined Japanese Patent Applications (U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,724 B1) recites an invention of such a glove, wherein a thumb hook by which a position of the thumb can be secured and released is provided in a thumb pocket part of a main body of the glove, and the thumb hook comprises a belt capable of pressing the thumb from a forefinger side and a belt capable of pressing the thumb from an opposite side relative to the forefinger side, so that a band along a width direction of the hand for receiving and supporting a back of the hand can be pressed onto the hand using one of the bands.

However, it cannot be guaranteed that the glove according to the conventional technology always suitably fits any glove user's hand irrespective of the size of his/her finger. Another disadvantage of the conventional glove is a failure to respond to individual differences in terms of a suitable position of the thumb in the glove. Therefore, there has been a demand for further improvements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a main object of the present invention is, in order to solve the foregoing problems, to provide a ball catching apparatus capable of assuring a suitable position of a finger irrespective of a size and a shape of the finger of who uses the ball catching apparatus which are individually different, and comfortably fitting the finger.

The foregoing object is achieved by the inventions recited in the Scope of Claims. A ball catching apparatus according to the present invention comprising:

a main body in which a back-of-hand-side inner skin and a palm-side inner skin are respectively secured to a back-of-hand-side outer skin and a palm-side outer skin; and

a thumb hook provided at a base-end portion of a thumb pocket part of the main body and allowing a position of a thumb to be secured and released, wherein

the thumb hook comprises a first belt and a second belt respectively secured to the palm-side inner skin, the first belt allows the thumb to be pressed from a forefinger side,

the second belt is provided along an outer peripheral side of the first belt and in such a manner as overlapping with the first belt, and

a state where the thumb is pressed by the first belt is maintained in such a manner that the second belt is stretched, so that the position of the thumb is determined while the thumb is being comfortably fitted by the first and second belts.

According to the foregoing constitution, the first and second belts constituting the thumb hook are secured to the palm-side inner skin, and the presence of the second belt provided along the outer peripheral side of the first belt allowing the thumb to be pressed from the forefinger side and so as to overlap with the first belt serves to maintain the stretched state of the first belt set so that the thumb can be more comfortably fitted when a tensile force is applied to the second belt. Therefore, when an edge of the first belt provided on an inner side is stretched from an outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin with respect to the inserted thumb, the second belt provided on an outer side is stretched and fastened after the thumb is most comfortably fitted, so that the suitable position of the thumb can be determined irrespective of the size and shape of the thumb which are individually different.

As a result, the ball catching apparatus capable of determining the suitable position of the thumb irrespective of the individually different size and shape of the finger of who uses the ball catching apparatus, and comfortably fitting the thumb could be provided.

As a preferable mode of the constitution, base portions of the first and second belts are securely seamed with the palm-side inner skin, and widths of the first and second belts are respectively reduced into string shapes from substantially intermediate parts in a longitudinal direction. These edges of the first and second belts each having the string shape reach the outer side of the outer skin, and the edge of the second belt is formed into a two-string shape and can be fastened and released on the outer side of the outer skin.

According to the preferable mode of the constitution, the edge of the second belt having the two-string shape can be easily fastened and released, which allows the user to easily obtain an optimally fastened state.

As another preferable mode of the constitution, the edge of the first belt goes around the inserted thumb, and extends toward the outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin through an insertion hole formed in the back-of-hand-side inner skin. The edge of the second belt once enters into between the palm-side inner skin and the palm-side outer skin, and extends again toward the outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin through an insertion hole formed in the palm-side inner skin in the same manner as the edge of the first belt.

According to the another preferable mode of the constitution, the second belt is fastened while the tensile force is being applied thereto after the tensile force is applied to the first belt so that the thumb is optimally fitted, which allows the user to more reliably and solidly obtain the optimally fastened state. More specifically, the thumb hook of the conventional glove was disadvantageously easily loosened since it was fastened in one direction from downward to upward. The thumb hook according to the foregoing constitution can be fastened from upward to downward, which makes it difficult for the thumb hook to be loosened.

As still another preferable mode of the constitution, the band along the width direction of the hand for receiving and supporting the back of the hand is provided in the main body in such a manner that the hand can be thereby pressed and released from the pressing.

According to the still another preferable mode of the constitution, a wrist can be easily fitted in a suitable manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glove for baseball according to an embodiment of the present invention when observed from a back-of-hand side thereof.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating positions of both inner skins and a thumb hook.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged illustration of the thumb hook shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged view illustrating the cross section structure of the thumb hook shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Below is described a preferred embodiment of the present invention refer-ring to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a structure of a glove for baseball of open type, which is an example of a ball catching apparatus according to the embodiment, on a back-of-hand side. FIG. 2 shows two inner skins of a palm-side inner skin 12 and a back-of-hand-side inner skin 11. FIG. 3 shows a fastening structure using a thumb hook 1 securely seamed with the palm-side inner skin 12 and comprising belts and FIG. 3A is an enlarged view illustrating the cross section structure of the thumb hook shown in FIG. 2.

In the glove, the two inner skins 11 and 12 are securely seamed with a back-of-hand-side outer skin 7 and a palm-side outer skin in a main body 2 of the glove (corresponding to the ball catching apparatus), or secured thereto via a string (not shown). The thumb hook 1 by which a position of a thumb can be secured and released is provided at a base-end portion of a thumb pocket part 3 in the main body 2. A band 4 along a width direction of a hand for receiving and supporting a back of the hand is provided in the main body 2 in such a manner that the hand can be thereby pressed and released from the pressing.

In a game played, the hand is inserted into inner sides of the skins 11 and 12 and fitted into the glove. At the time, the band 4 is secured to the back-of-hand-side outer skin 7 by means of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like in a releasable manner. A reference numeral 13 in the drawing denotes a hand insertion opening.

A width of the thumb hook 1 is reduced into a string shape from a substantially intermediate part in a longitudinal direction as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Base portions of a first belt 1 a and a second belt 1 b provided in such a manner as overlapping with each other are securely seamed with the palm-side inner skin 12 (FIG. 3A). The two belts 1 a and 1 b are securely seamed with each other from the secured base portions thereof up to a position facing a back side of the inserted thumb, and free from each other from a position corresponding to a side facing a side surface of the thumb.

An edge of the first belt 1 a provided on an inner side, of the two belts 1 a and 1 b, goes around the inserted thumb and extends toward an outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin via an insertion hole 5 formed in the inner skin 11. An edge of the second belt 1 b provided on an outer peripheral side of the first belt 1 a once enters into a rear side of the inner skin 12 (between the inner skin 12 and the palm-side outer skin) via an insertion hole 15 formed in the inner skin 12 on a finger-edge side, and extends again toward the outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin via an insertion hole 16 on a wrist side formed in the inner skin 12 in the same manner as the edge of the first belt 1 a.

In the presence of the overlapping belts 1 a and 1 b, the size and shape of the thumb, which are individually different, can be flexibly dealt with, the thumb can be more comfortably fitted, and further, the position of the thumb can be reliably determined and secured.

More specifically, the edge of the first belt 1 a provided on the inner side, of the two belts 1 a and 1 b, has a single-string shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The edge of the second belt 1 b provided on the outer side has a two-string shape. As described earlier, these edges reach the outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin via the through holes formed in the back-of-hand-side outer skin. When the edge of the first belt 1 a provided on the inner side is stretched with respect to the inserted thumb from the outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin, the inserted thumb can be most comfortably fitted. Further, when the second belt 1 b provided on the outer side is stretched and fastened, a suitable position can be determined irrespective of the size and shape of the thumb, which are individually different.

As a result, the two strings of the edge of the second belt 1 b are fastened outside the thumb pocket part 3 as shown in FIG. 1. A reference number 14 shown in the drawing denotes a knot thereby made. When the edge of the first belt 1 a provided on the inner side is stretched and the thumb is pressed from the forefinger side so that the thumb can be optimally fitted, and thereafter, the second belt 1 b provided on the outer side is stretched, the both belts can be secured at suitable positions without loosening the tensile force by which the first belt 1 a provided on the inner side presses the thumb. Further, when the position of the thumb is desirably adjusted/changed, a knot 14 of the second belt 1 b is released, and then, the edge of the second belt 1 b is re-knotted while the first belt 1 a is being stretched. Thereby, the position of the thumb can be easily adjusted. The edge of the second belt 1 b is knotted in the foregoing description, which is, however, not always necessary. The constitution according to the present embodiment makes it not easy for the edge to be loosened. Therefore, it is up to the user's preference whether or not the edge should be knotted or not.

Another Preferred Embodiment

1) The glove for baseball according to the above embodiment was described referring to the example of the glove of open type. However, the ball catching apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the glove of open type, and a glove of fully closed type may be adopted. There is no distinction according to a type of the glove.

2) In the above embodiment, the glove for baseball was described as an example, however, the ball catching apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to a catcher's mitt and a first mitt for baseball, and further to a glove, a catcher's mitt and a first mitt for softball.

3) In the above embodiment, the edge of the first belt 1 a is formed into a single string, while the edge of the second belt 1 b is formed into two strings, however, the edge of the first belt 1 a may be formed into two strings and then knotted. 

1. A ball catching apparatus comprising: a main body in which a back-of-hand-side inner skin and a palm-side inner skin are respectively secured to a back-of-hand-side outer skin and a palm-side outer skin; and a thumb hook provided at a base-end portion of a thumb pocket part of the main body and allowing a position of a thumb to be secured and released, wherein the thumb hook comprises a first belt and a second belt respectively secured to the palm-side inner skin, the first belt allows the thumb to be pressed from a forefinger side, the second belt is provided along an outer peripheral side of the first belt and in such a manner as overlapping with the first belt, and a state where the thumb is pressed by the first belt is maintained in such a manner that the second belt is stretched, so that the position of the thumb is determined while the thumb is being comfortably fitted by the first and second belts.
 2. The ball catching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein base portions of the first and second belts are securely seamed with the palm-side inner skin, and widths of the first and second belts are respectively reduced into string shapes from substantially intermediate parts in a longitudinal direction, and edges of the first and second belts each having the string shape reach an outer side of the outer skin, and the edge of the second belt is formed into a two-string shape and can be fastened and released on the outer side of the outer skin.
 3. The ball catching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an edge of the first belt goes around the inserted thumb, and extends again toward an outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin through an insertion hole formed in the back-of-hand-side inner skin, and an edge of the second belt once enters into between the palm-side inner akin and the palm-side outer skin, and extends toward the outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin through an insertion hole formed in the palm-side inner skin in the same manner as the edge of the first belt.
 4. The ball catching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a band along a width direction of a hand for receiving and supporting a back of the hand is provided in the main body in such a manner that the hand can be thereby pressed and released from the pressing.
 5. The ball catching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the edge of the first belt goes around the inserted thumb, and extends again toward an outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin through an insertion hole formed in the back-of-hand-side inner skin, and the edge of the second belt once enters into between the palm-side inner akin and the palm-side outer skin, and extends toward the outer side of the back-of-hand-side outer skin through an insertion hole formed in the palm-side inner skin in the same manner as the edge of the first belt, and a band along a width direction of a hand for receiving and supporting a back of the hand is provided in the main body in such a manner that the hand can be thereby pressed and released from the pressing. 